The top reported proficiency rate is 24% in English language arts. The lowest is 9% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Richwood Junior High School
Richwood Junior High School serves sixth through eighth grade as a regular public school in Monroe, part of the Ouachita Parish school system. It sits on the southern edge of the city along a major highway. For a parent or resident considering this school, the picture that emerges from the available data is clear about academic performance, peer context, and the economics of the surrounding community. Some important pieces of information are absent.
State assessment results from Louisiana’s LEAP 2025 tests for the 2024-25 school year show that student proficiency rates in all four tested subjects were low. English language arts had the strongest result among them, though still at a level that means most students did not reach the state’s proficiency threshold. Math proficiency was markedly lower. Science and social studies were even weaker, with only a small share of students scoring at the proficient or advanced level. The school’s overall proficiency index, which averages results across subjects, sits below the midpoint when compared with other districts in Ouachita Parish. Because the comparison is made at the district level and only a limited number of districts had data available, the position is a relative one within this local set. There is only one year of testing data for this period, so no trend can be drawn.
The student body is nearly all Black, with only a handful of students identified as white, Hispanic, or of two or more races. A very high share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that the school serves a population with widespread economic need. The school is a Title I school; the data did not specify its Title I status, but the high poverty rate makes it likely the school receives federal support. Information about special education identification rates and English-learner enrollment was not available. Likewise, no data on discipline, attendance, course access, or staffing was provided. A parent may want to ask the school directly about these areas.
Monroe is the parish seat and the economic center of northeastern Louisiana, but its population has been declining over the long term. The city combines healthcare, education, government, and retail as major employment sectors. The largest employer listed in the city’s financial report is the Ouachita Parish School Board itself, alongside telecommunications firms, hospitals, a university, and retail chains. The housing market in the zip code that includes much of the school’s attendance area is very affordable by national standards, with home values that have recently fallen. Rent-to-income ratios are low. The broader economic context shows a national unemployment rate around four percent and mortgage rates above six percent, but local conditions may differ.
The school itself operates as a middle school for grades six through eight, and because it does not serve high school grades, there is no graduation rate to report. No information was found on recent district-level changes or initiatives that would affect this school; the search for parent-relevant changes in Ouachita Parish returned no results that met the lasting-impact threshold.
For a family, Richwood Junior High offers a small-to-medium-sized middle school environment in a district with other schools that have higher proficiency results. The academic numbers suggest that many students need additional support to reach grade-level standards. The peer group is homogeneous in terms of race and nearly all students come from low-income households. The surrounding area is a mature, moderately sized city that is not growing. A conversation with school leadership about interventions, enrichment opportunities, and what programs exist to move proficiency rates upward would be a practical next step.
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